antiqueweek.com
Auctions • Shows • Antiques • Collectibles
  
Search through 1000s of auctions listings by keyword.
NYE & Co.
Recent Archives
Pixies continue to dance in our homes and hearts
Lock of Washington’s hair to highlight Bunch auction
Red Wing Collectors Society cancels summer convention
Cooper Hewitt shines spotlight on Suzie Zuzek
Superman tosses tank and wins a bid of $1,850
   
News Article
Oil painting heats up Traver’s Mid-Winter Auction
By Gayle Manley

DALLAS, Pa. — While extreme cold weather and record snowfalls have been a daily story in the Northeast, even threats from Old Man Winter did not dampen attendance or enthusiasm at Traver’s Mid-Winter Auction on Feb. 8. The Auction Gallery is located near Wilkes-Barre, Pa., in the town of Dallas, approximately 15 minutes from Interstate 81.

The Mid-Winter Auction featured an array of fine and decorative arts items sourced from the estate of a prominent local Pennsylvania family. Auctioneers called to a crowd of buyers who had made the trek from Pennsylvania, New York, the Mid-Atlantic States and as far away as Texas.

What lured collectors and buyers out into the winter cold? Let’s begin with the centerpiece of the auction – a framed, untitled oil-on-canvas by Italian painter Vittorio Matteo Corcos (1859-1933). Corcos was known for elegant portraiture that expressed the gentility of the Belle Époque. This 1902 painting depicted an alluring woman with upswept hair, draped in satin clothing, leaning on her fainting couch with a white kitten atop her shoulder. Two years ago, a similar Corcos subject brought $35,000 at Sotheby’s.

According to gallery owner Steve Traver, the piece drew strong interest from U.S. and European buyers. Traver took extra measures to ensure his client and bidders would be well-served, including arrangements for a stand-by interpreter for prospective bidders from Italy. For Pennsylvania locals, the artwork brought back memories of the landmark hotel in which the painting had once hung and the room that had greeted presidents and dignitaries. When the auctioneer’s hammer came down, bidding closed at $47,500.

An L.C. Tiffany Favrile glass vase was another rare item that attracted collectors. The delicate floral and iridescent 14 1/2-inch art glass vase was inscribed with registry number 3892. Vases of a comparable style were exhibited by L.C. Tiffany at the Paris Exposition in 1900. As the auction bidding field narrowed, two couples, accidentally seated side by side, competed for the final bid as it reached $15,500.

Numerous sterling flatware and vanity items, fine jewelry, perfume bottles, Lalique nudes, marble nudes, bronze statuary and signed sculptures were among the high quality lots sold. An impressive 1930s Tiffany and Co. 18-inch domed clock caught crowd attention and fetched a price of $3,000. Buyers took notice of its impeccable condition, gilded bronze with an enameled face, and details such as the hand-painted cherubs on a porcelain insert.

In jewelry, beauty may be in the eyes of the beholder, but it is also in the details of the workmanship. To wit, veteran auctioneer Bernie Girman examined an 18K gold, Renaissance-revival necklace. Its pendant was assembled with tiny bolts and screws and featured a sheep embellished by pearls, diamonds and cabochon gemstones. The pendant on a 14K gold chain sold at $5,000.

The estate owner also had amassed a considerable collection of 19th and 20th century European steins from Mettlach (Villeroy & Boch), Royal Vienna, Royal Doulton, August Saeltzer and others. Stein collectors would be hard-pressed not to have found a takeaway from among the 70 steins auctioned. One long-distance traveler was lucky enough to buy a scarce Mettlach Architecture Book Stein. Colorful Book Steins were produced as a series of 12, and the individual books display titles that relate to a specific profession.

For collectors seeking unusual figural steins, a monkey wearing a top hat ($1,100) had appeal as did a bowling pin stein and German frog playing a mandolin. The cream of the crop was an ornate Royal Vienna porcelain stein decorated with a colorful mythological scene. The Royal Vienna garnered the top bid among the stein collection at $2,900.

Auctioneer Steve Traver fell in love with antiques and collecting in his childhood. His passion hasn’t changed; it’s just grown into a bigger picture as a full-service (and family) auction operation. About his line of work, Steve says, “When a client is dealing with the loss of a family member, we try to relieve them of what can be an emotionally overwhelming task. We were privileged to be selected to assist this well-established local family, and hopefully the results have exceeded their expectations.”

Traver’s Auction schedules, photo listings and catalogs are posted online at Auctionzip.com and at www.traversauction.com. Contact them at (570) 674-2631.

3/2/2015
Comments For This Post
Post A Comment
Name :
Email :
Comment :